Furnace.



No. 652,ll0. Patented June 19, 1900.

- F. HUGHES &. G. M. BISHOP.

F U R N All E.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1899.

(No Model.)

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UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. HUGHES AND GEORGE M. BISHOP, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,110, dated June 19, 1900.

Application filed December 27, 1899. Serial No. 741,765. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK J. HUGHE and GEORGE M. BISHOP, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful ilnprovementsin steam-boiler furnaces, and a furnace constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly adapted to consume all the combustibles contained in the fuel, thereby increasing the temperature of the heat and obtaining a considerable saving in the consumption of fuel.

One object of our invention is to construct a furnace of this class with means to supply air to the fire-box in a graduating manner, causing the fire to burn more evenly and increasing the temperature of the same without an additional charge of fuel for attaining this purpose, or, in other words, thoroughly utilizes all the combustibles contained in the fuel, thereby obtaining this increased temperature for generating steam more rapidly at a considerable saving in the consumption of fuel.

A further object of our invention is to construct a furnace in which the natural tendency of the smoke and combustibles to be drawn outward through the flues before they can be consumed will be restrained andthese combustibles held within the furnace until such time as they may be consumedwithout in any manner interfering with the natural draft of the furnace.

A further object of our invention is to construct our furnace with improved grate-bars which are provided with a series of openings graduating in size from the center of the bar toward each end, dispensing thereby with the use of the usual slot and obtaining by this construction a stronger and more durable bar.

Briefly described, our invention consists of forming the fire-box of the furnace with a Water-jacket the walls thereof connected together by a series of stay-bolts provided with openings graduating in size from the bottom of the fire-box upwardly, forming the gratebars with a series of graduating openings, and arranging a series of steam-jets for the injec tion of steam into the furnace above the fire to arrest the smoke and combustibles as they pass toward the fines and force the same backward into the fire-box to be consumed.

Our invention finally consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morexfully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a boiler, partly broken away, showing our improved arrangement of fire-box and graduated openings for the passage of air to the fire-box. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modi fied form of construction. Fig. 3 is a front plan View of a modified form of plate which is used instead of stay-bolts, the plate being provided with a series of graduated openings. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of'the gratebars.

Referring to the drawings by reference-nun1erals,.1 indicates the door of the furnace; 2, the fines thereof; 3, the fire-box, formed by the outer 4 and inner walls 5; 6, a sheet surrounding the fire-box, provided with a converging .end7 8, the grate-bars; and 9 a surrounding shell for the fines. The upper portion of the boiler-furnace isbroken away, as shown.

The inner and outer walls of the fire-box are suitably spaced apart, forming a water jacket which extends entirely around the firebox. These inner and outer Walls are closed at their lower end by means'of a plate 10 and securely held apart and connected to gether by means of the stay-bolt 11, suitably connected thereto, and which are each provided with an opening extending entirely therethrough, as at 12. These openings graduate in size from the lower bolt upwardly, as shown. The upper end of one of the inner walls of the furnace is suitably connected, as at 13, to a flue-sheet 14, the opposite inner wall being connected, as at 15, to an angleiron 16, having one end thereof connected to the frame of the door, as at 17.

18 indicates a series of steam-jets, which are suitably connected to the dome of the boiler for injecting steam into the fire-box.

These steam-jets may be arranged as desired within the fire-box; but one must positively be arranged near the flue-sheet 14:, so when the steam is projected therefrom it will arrest and force backward into the fire-box the smoke'and combustibles which are passing toward the fines, and one of these steam-jets must be arranged below the door of the furnace to inject steam inwardly to arrest any outward movement of the smoke and combustibles toward the furnace-door when the same is opened.

The grate-bars 8 are formed with a series of openings 19, graduated in size from the center toward each end, and the bars are suitably arranged at the bottom of the firebox in any desirable manner.

20 indicates an exhaust-cock arranged at the bottom of the water-jacket surrounding the fire-box.

In' the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 2 we dispense with the hollow staybolts, but arrange therein a series of pipesections 21 in a horizontal manner, coupled together at each end by the unions 22, with the exception of the upper and lower pipesections. One end of these sections is connected to the water-jacket, as shown at 23. Attention is called to the fact that these pipesections are arranged with an intervening space between them, graduating in size upwardly, and we obtain by this arrangement a circulation of air through and an even burning of the fire, owing to the fact that the passage of air through the fire graduates from the bottom upwardly. Otherwise than the arrangement of pipe-sections and dispensing.

to receive the hooked end 26 of the plate for securing the same in position. When using these plates for forming the wall of the firebox, the hollow stay-bolts are dispensed with,

although the water-jacket surrounding the fire-box is shown. This form of plate we use in the construction of boilers with vertical sides set forth in Fig. 2.

We provide the fire-box with hollow staybolts graduating in size upwardly for the purposeof admitting a greater amount of air at the bottom of the fire, thereby causing it to pass through the entire body thereof and greatly increasing the temperature of the same than if the holes were all of the same size, these graduating holes obtaining a more even burning of the fire over the entire thereof, and dispenses with the use of the ordinary diaphragm-sheet in the front end of the boiler, and, furthermore, as the firebox is entirely surrounded by the waterjacket it will be seen that the same will stand the increased temperature as well as the other parts of the furnace. The air admitted to the fire-box is not taken directly from the outside but is drawn into the fire from the ash pan or pit, owing to the arrangement of the sheet 6 around the fire-box, and by placing this sheet in the position shown the airspace between the inner face thereof and the walls of the fire box is made very much smaller, which enables the steam-jets flowing in the direction as heretofore stated to create a vacuum and draw the air up through the fire.

The grate-bars are provided with a series of holes graduating from the center toward each end,which will admit the air to the bottom of the'fire-box in the same manner as the ordinary grate-bars, and by this arrangement in a locomotive we are able to use a very muchlarger nozzle, which is a great saving of machinery and increases the speed of the engine, as well as decreasing the consumption of fuel. Furthermore, the grate-bars will be much stronger and more durable and also not permit so much fire to drop through the sameto the ash-pan.

By arranging the sections of pipe with a different-sized air-space betweenthem, as well as the hollow stay-bolts graduating in size, as heretofore stated, the air is regulated in its passage through the firethat is to say, owing to the fact that a greater amount of fire is at the lower portion of the fire-box a greater charge of air is necessary to increase the draft properly-and owing to the fact that the fire at the top of the fire-box is of a smaller quantity it will not be necessary to have a greater amount of air passing therethrough as the air necessary for the lower part of the fire. Furthermore,tl1is arrangement of graduated air-openings will overcome the objection as to having the openings all of one size. For example, on a locomotive the strong draft caused by the exhaust pushes the fire away from the top holes, and then theair all passes through the top openings without engaging the fire, the graduated openings overcoming this, for the reason that the small openings at the top permit only a small passage of air, and the air desiring an outlet will pass through the larger holes at the bottom, increasing combustion and causing an even burning. This could not be accomplished if the graduating openings were dispensed with.

The arrangement of the steam-jets within the fire-box prevents the smoke and combustibles from passing through the fines and out of the door and forces the same back upon the fire, Where the heat is so intense that they are readily consumed.

It will be evident that in connecting the pipes to the water jacket a circulation of water is obtained, and, as heretofore stated, by gradually increasing the spaces between the pipe-sections the passage of air will cause an even burning of the fire.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steam-boiler furnace, a water-jacketed fire-box, and means extending through said water-jacket for feeding air to the firebox in a graduating manner.

2. In asteam-boiler furnace, afire-boxsuitably arranged therein and provided with means to permit of the feeding of air therethrough in a graduating manner, and means arranged in said fire-box for injecting steam therein to arrest the passage of smoke and combustibles through the boiler-flues.

3. In a steam boiler furnace, a fire box, grate-bars therefor provided with a series of graduating openings, means connected to said fire-box and adapted to permit of the feeding of air thereto in a graduating manner, and means for injecting steam in said fire-box to arrest the passage of smoke and combustibles through the flues of the furnace.

4B. In a steam -boiler furnace, a fire box, grate-bars therefor provided with a series of graduating openings, means connected to said fire-box and adapted to permit of the feeding of air thereto in a graduating manner, and means for injecting steam in said fire-box to arrest the passage of smoke and combustibles through the fines of the furnace, and separate means for injecting steam into the fire-box to assist in creating combustion.

5. In a steam-boiler furnace, a fire -box, means suitably connected thereto and adapted to permit of feeding air therethrough in a graduating manner, means arranged in said ,fire-box to inject steam therein to arrest the passage of smoke and combustibles through the flues of the furnace and force the same onto the fire for consumption, and separate means arranged in the fire-box for injecting steam therein to increase the combustion of the fuel.

6. In a steam -boiler furnace, a firebox,- means suitably connected thereto and adapted to permit of the feeding of air therethrough in a graduating manner, a series of gratebars arranged at the bottom of said fire-box and provided with a series of graduating openings, means arranged in said fire-box to inject steam therein to arrest the passage of smoke and combustibles through the flues of the furnace forcing the same onto the fire for consumption, and separate means arranged in the fire-box for injecting steam therein to increase the combustion of fuel.

7. In a steam-boiler furnace, awater-jacketed fire box, a suitable inclosure for the same, a series of stay-bolts arranged in said jacket and each provided with an opening so arranged that they will graduate upwardly, suitably-supported grate-bars arranged at the bottom of the fire boX and provided with graduating openings, means arranged in said fire-box for injecting steam therein at the front of the boiler-flues to prevent the passage of the smoke and combustibles therethrough and to force the same back onto the fire for consumption, and separate means ar ranged in the fire-box for injecting steam in the furnace to increase combustion.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. HUGHES. GEORGE M. BISHOP. Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND,

ALBERT J. WALKER. 

